Summer 2019 Reading List

Hello fellow readers! I’ve compiled a summer reading list of the books I’ve read so far this summer – not all great beach reads, but all good reads nonetheless.

Do you have a favorite book you’ve read this summer? Let me know in the comments below!

Crazy Rich Asians

This book, now a movie, follows a girl finding out that her boyfriend is crazy rich. She’s thrust into a new world of glitz, glamor, and drama .

I read this book because my team at the office did the same and we all went to watch the movie together! I started the book before watching but never finished until this May. I like how the main character is portrayed in the book more than in the movie, so as I always say the book is better than the movie.

Circe

Circe, the daughter of Helios and a nymph, is sent to an island all by herself and starts to hone her powers.

I learned about Greek mythology in school growing up, and especially in a class I took specifically about Dante’s Inferno in college, but didn’t know anything about Circe until now. She’s strong, misunderstood, and a badass .

Daisy Jones & The Six

This book, written as a biography, chronicles a fictional band’s rise (and inevitable fall).

All of the characters are well-developed, deeply interesting, and written in a way that keeps you invested . I’ve heard this is getting turned into either a series or movie by Reese Witherspoon and I can’t wait to see who is cast.

Rayne & Delilah’s Midnight Matinee

Rayne & Delilah are the stage names of two best friends who host a broadcasted horror commentary show (much like Mystery Science Theatre). Both girls have just graduated from high school and are nervous about what the future holds for them individually, their friendship, and their show .

Jeff Zentner (the author) is one of my favorites because he’s both an awesome writer and awesome human.

The Royal We

The Royal We is a fictional retelling of Prince William and Duchess Kate . While the two authors took liberties with the storylines, you can see the inspiration heavily.

This was the pick for our office’s book club (check out the book club page here) in May and it was a big hit! We even had an “England-themed” party with tea sandwiches and small cakes.

The Unhoneymooners

I love a good “hate to love,” and this is just that. The two main characters are sent on their siblings’ honeymoon after a disaster at the dinner buffet at the wedding.

This book felt a little more “realistic” than others of this trope and would make a for a great read at the pool.

Where the Crawdads Sing

This book looks at a few different time periods – the main character (Kaia, a child and then young adult) living alone and fending for herself after the rest of her family leaves her, a man found murdered, and how these former two intersect .

This was another book club pick that I started late. My friends kept saying how great it was, but the main hindrance to me reading was that the wait at the library was so long – it sounds like everyone has figured out how good this book is too.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Evelyn Hugo is an old Hollywood star who has been married seven times, been in more movies than you can count, and is otherwise a mystery. She calls a nobody writer and asks her to write her memoir to tell the real story .

I flew through this book. It’s written like a memoir but pulls back into the conversations between the main character and Evelyn. This author, who also wrote Daisy Jones & The Six, knows what she’s doing when it comes to “historical” fiction.

Normal People

In high school, he is popular and she is not. In college, she’s found her niche, her friend group, and herself, and he has not. Most of the time, they’re (not so) secretly hooking up .

I enjoyed the timeline of this book and how realistic the characters felt. They didn’t feel like characters – they felt and acted like real, broken, people act.

Last House Guest

This book flips back and forth between two time periods, one year apart. A year ago, the main character’s best friend dies (presumably suicide) the night of the season in Maine where her family has a collection of rental properties. Now, the main character is looking into her friend’s death and the string of issues popping up at all of the rental properties she now runs for her friend’s family. Coincidence?

I’m always a fan of Megan Miranda, and this is no exception.

The Kiss Quotient

The main character is a brilliant economist on the Autism spectrum who wants a relationship, hires an escort for “practice.”

While this was a good read, and I loved the representation of having a love interest on the Autism spectrum (the author is also on the Autism spectrum), I would say that this book isn’t as *ahem* safe for work as I had anticipated. I’ll leave it at that.